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Fruitcake & Ice Cream

I've been listening to some very good online sermons lately...and I HAD to share this one with everyone. Please go HERE and find the series called "Home Free - Even Me". It's a 2 part series and the 2nd message is entitled "Fruitcake & Ice Cream". Listen to it please.

The whole message is good...it's Louie talking about the grace of God. But, if you are limited on time, skip about 50% in to the message and listen to the real life story of a college student. Louie is reading from her journal. Listen all the way to the end.

Amazing amazing story.
Amazing amazing God.
Amazing amazing grace.

Enjoy.

Thank You! (100 times over)

First day back at school for Bartow County. First day in Kindergarten for my 5 yr old...first day in 1st grade for my 7 yr old. The past 48 hours have been great. Two events have renewed my love and appreciation for teachers. First, yesterday another staff dude (Anthony) and myself took some chicken biscuits and OJ out to a local elementary school. It was just a quick way to say THANKS...we know you are here...we appreciate you...we want to be able to help in any way possible...we are praying for you......

The 2nd event was the open house at my kid's school on Tuesday night. Chatting with other parents and teachers and school officials stirred something inside me (I don't think it was the Rockstar I drank). I'm just praying like crazy that God would allow us, Oak Leaf, to do HUGE things with schools. Yeah, we are still a young church plant. Yeah, we have limited resources. But I think it's possible to show our appreciation and partner with schools and teachers in real, tangible, creative ways.

So, teachers: On your first day back today - please know you are APPRECIATED! Thanks 100 times over for investing in our kids. And while complaints will start flying around shortly...facilities too old, public this, private this, budget shortage on this and that, not enough room, etc...on this first day back let me say that you are SUPPORTED. There's tons of parents in this community that give a rip and want to help - A LOT.

So my challenge to myself and to every parent is this: get involved, say thanks to the teachers every week, make a difference...and if there's something you don't like about the school you're sending your kids to, then help change it.

Ok, I'm off my soapbox now. :-)
Have a great first day everyone!

What Do You See?

There is a pond just outside my neighborhood that I pass every day. Last week, I drove past it around 5pm and observed 2 teenage boys fishing. As I thought about them fishing during one of the hottest parts of the day, a big question was stuck in my head: WHAT DO YOU SEE? Here's a few choices that I came up with...perhaps this will challenge you as it did me:

#1 (Chance to Criticize)
What do I see? Um...duh, a bunch of goobers. No, make that idiots. Those neighborhood kids are always out there fishing...don't they know there's probably only 2 fish in that pond?!?! Worst yet, they are fishing at the hottest part of the day? Who taught them to fish? EVERYONE knows you are suppose to fish either early morning or late afternoon. Dumb dumb dumb.

#2 (Chance to Complain)
Great, more teenagers, out alone, near the neighborhood...they probably just vandalized the pool and are now smoking weed, all under the cover of "fishing".

#3 (Chance of Opportunity)
Hmm, interesting. It's 96 degrees right now. Why in the world are they fishing when it's sooo hot? I've seen those kids out and about before, I've never said hello. Hmm, the bigger question: I wonder if they've ever had anyone teach them how to fish? Perhaps the biggest question: I wonder if they have a dad that's around? Statistically, I know the odds on this one - 50/50.

I hope we have more and more professing Christians "seeing" number 3. And when observed, I hope we have more believers acting upon the Spirit's prompting...whether it's praying for the kids or being more aware of hurting kids all around us or having courage to speak up and getting to know your neighbor. So, today, where you are: WHAT DO YOU SEE?

Is it OK for a Christian to drink alcohol?

SERMON

Demolition

This Saturday we will be having a workday at our newly purchased building, The House of Rock. That's exciting. A former bar being used for church. Wanna know what's even more exciting, though? I get to demo the old stage. That's right, it's a perfect fit. Me and a sledge hammer, axe, wheelbarrow...the whole time shouting, "Me, Hulk, Mad...Hulk Smash!"

Join the insanity: Saturday, 8am, House of Rock on Tennessee St. in Cartersville. Bring tools, weapons, explosives...wait, cancel explosives.

Coming Soon...

A new post from me.
Topic: Not sure.
Length: Who knows.

Too busy to blog right now, catch ya later.
:-)

quite a story, quite a life

click HERE

grin and bear it

THIS lady is way too relaxed telling her story. Wow.

Friendly Football Hatred

SEC hate-o-meter

funny funny

Local R&R

no kids
3 days
doing local stuff with wife
eating at new places
she talked me in to seeing a chick flick last night
on the way out of the theater a dude said, "hey, there's another guy!"...he was glad that another guy was forced to see the movie as well
i responded to his comment with, "man, i need a college football game bad!"
:-)

Another Reason Not to Shop at Walmart

Ok, just a little joke with the title...sorta. Last night, we had a bit of a scare with Braden (7). He tripped in Walmart and hit his head on a shelf. He fell down, eyes glazed and head banging against the ground...an apparent seizure. Dana said after about 3 to 4 seconds (which she said felt like an eternity) he finally responded to her calls.

After the event, he seemed fine and was acting OK...but as a precaution, we heeded a doctor's advice and drove him to Children's Hospital in Atlanta for a CT scan. The report came back 100% good-to-go. Yep, huge relief! They said more than likely it was a "post traumatic seizure", resulting from him falling in to the shelf. It appears to be an isolated event and not any indication that he will be having any more seizures in the future.

A big THANKS to our Journey Group friends and others who prayed for Braden, watched Logan (younger 2 out of town), and helped get my car back home. It was GREAT knowing we had some immediate support when faced with an emergency.

Suicide, Anger, Help, Teenager, Family Problems, Drugs, Confusion, Questions, Counseling, Hope, Addiction, Gun, Divorce

Long weird title, eh? Well, I wanted to throw it out there in the random chance that someone...a teen or young adult...might stumble across my blog who is dealing with some pretty serious stuff. The dude below has been counseling kids in jams, serious jams, for a long time. He has a radio gig and talks straight with people. So, need some help? Know somebody that needs help or advice? Click on the link or dial the number.

DAWSON McALLISTER

1-800-394-HOPE

Good Parenting Read

As a parent of young kids, I found THIS blog post to be helpful.

Sunday Sunday Sunday! (said with monster truck voice)

Stuff goin' on today at OLC:

• I left my belt at home today so Jody, our Campus/Journey Group Pastor, hooked me up with an extra one he had in his car. Hanz,however (I call him and Mitch Hanz & Franz), is somewhere around a 31 or 32 waist. I'm no big dude, by no means...but goodness, I barely made the first hole in the belt!
• Had 69 kids in the elementary 3rd service. Place was hoppin'!
• Met a very cool family that was visiting for the first time. They have 3 kids and just moved in to town. I absolutely LOVE that part of my job. Meeting new folks and getting to know them and introducing/handing them off to our wonderful volunteers is crazy fun!
• In approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes it's time for some baptism at the lake and some flag football.
• Tracy Kase, Assistant to the Lead Pastor, did the welcome this morning. She's a rockstar.

Girl

I'm one three boys. My older brother has 2 sons. I have 3 sons...and 1 girl. Before having Kinley, everyone assumed a "Sutton Girl" was an anomaly...an impossibility.

Good luck little girl. I pray you survive your 3 rough brothers and overprotective dad. :-)

Take a moment to shine:

Praying Scripture

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

One of my favorite scriptures to pray is Psalm 19:14. I love it because it asks God for help in choosing words words wisely, having pure motives...and it proclaims that He is our source for help, our only true hope - our ROCK & REDEEMER! I find myself praying this a lot. Good stuff.

BONUS: This is the verse in Chinese. :-)
耶 和 華 ─ 我 的 磐 石 ， 我 的 救 贖 主 啊 ， 願 我 口 中 的 言 語 、 心 裡 的 意 念 在 你 面 前 蒙 悅 納 。

To Be Frank

Somebody told me about FRANKTOWN ROCKS, a "music-driven virtual world" for kids. I checked it out, seems pretty cool. It was recently featured in Parents magazine...and it's free. Check it out for your kiddos and see whatcha think.

Huntsvegas

Seeing family in Huntsville, AL this weekend. Will attempt to cram family time, fishing, and disc golf all together, within a 24 hour visit. Then it's back to C'ville for a 4am wakeup call Sunday morning. Rock-n-roll.

Camel & Check-In

Here are the pics of the 2 person camel hanging out pre-service, harassing kids, and the new KidVenture Check-In Station.

Prayer

I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God.
Bend down and listen as I pray.
Psalm 17:6

Every Sunday afternoon drive home, I begin to process. I think. I think alot. I say a prayer. I say a thanks. I sometimes focus on how tired I am. I sometimes think about how much I sweated from 5am - 2pm. (I then thank God for clinical strength deodorant.) I think about the highs and lows of the morning. I think about the new families I met. I think about our City Host's doing a terrific job of bringing energy to our elementary kids and how they shared God's love. I think about the worship service, setup crew, staff, incredible volunteers,....ministry.

This past Sunday morning, I was overwhelmed with one thought: The 2 person camel we had walking around the KidVenture Check-In area. Ha, just kidding. What was truly on the brain was PRAYER. The prayers of thousands that prayed for a successful move back to the theater. The prayers of staff and volunteers and family members and other churches. The prayers of 70 year old grandmothers who might not get the "style" of Oak Leaf, but they love Jesus and want others to find Him. Faithful Prayers. Audacious Prayers.

So on the drive home I pondered. I thought about the importance of prayer. I thought about us fasting last Thursday, about us asking God for something that we were incapable of doing ourselves. And I thanked God for answering our prayers.

Ever To Conquer, Never To Yield

SEC School's Fight Songs and More
Click HERE

Note: If your team is not in the SEC...well, I just feel sorry for ya. :-)

Back Home

The best way I can describe today:
For all you UGA bulldawg fans: Imagine for a moment that this Fall UGA decided to close Sanford Stadium. That's right, done. No games there. Maybe it was a crack in the structure. (Blame a GT engineer, right?) So let's say for the football season you had to play all your games at some neighboring stadium. I don't know, just pick somewhere. And this somewhere facility was nice, and it seated plenty of people, and it had concessions and restrooms,...and after all, it was the same players, cheerleaders, and coaches...and you still enjoyed rooting on your team. But, it was no Sanford Stadium. It just wasn't the same as "playing between the hedges."

I hesitate to make such an analogy because God is not contained in a building or limited by our ideals of "good church" or "good location". But, today - WE CAME BACK HOME. Oak Leaf Church was made for Carmike Cinemas in Cartersville, GA. Who knows for how long but for now, it's where we are supposed to be. Sure, it was the same worship and same teaching and same crazy terrific KidVenture volunteers that we had at Woodland High School. Nothing has changed. But there was....well....there was just something about this move back home. A draw. A fit. A belonging. Most importantly, an obedience to God.

If I'm being honest, I had my doubts. Would it really have the same energy? Would new, 1st time guests really show up? Should we try to recreate something from the past? But all of that was laid to rest within the first 30 minutes of being in the building (5am-5:30am). And as more and more SUPERB volunteers showed up, I sensed that it was going to be a special day. What's that? Kinks to work out? Well, sure. No doubt. But when you run out of 1st time guests bags, you have to bring in chairs for your 3rd service, you see a bazillion new faces, your KidVenture check-in station is rockin' (thanks Kim D.), and someone you had prayed for accepts Christ on your first day back in the theater....well, it's quite simple - you're home.

Manly Car

Some dudes in the South drive pickups. Some dudes drive cars with bumper stickers that say "No Fear". Some have shotguns hanging on the gun rack.

Me? I have a stuffed dolphin staring at you through the side window.

Welcome to Children's Ministry.
:-)

six flags white water

For 6 brief hours yesterday, I had the chance to break away from the crazy week of preparation for the move back to the theater and celebrate Braden's birthday with fam down at Six Flags White Water. It was my first trip there. We had fun. Here's my top 5 observations:

• It's required of every employee to say "Have a fun day" after they serve you.
• I missed the park rules that said you must have a tattoo to enter. :-)
• I used to be self conscience about walking around with no shirt on. Not any more. :-)
• Food C+. Coke quality D-. Water and smiles A+.
• By far the coolest water park I've been to. The rides were worth the wait in line.

Wonder if we could plant a church there?

The Road to the Theater: Prayer Guide Day 5

From Michael's Blog:

Before moving to Cartersville to start Oak Leaf Church, I worked on the staff of four different churches as a youth pastor. In fact, my first job at a church came as an 18-year-old freshmen at Florida State University. I worked in this small Baptist church, which was comprised of about sixty senior citizens and four teenagers. I was in charge of the four teenagers.

I had no idea what I was doing, and I made a ton of mistakes. But throughout college and into my twenties, I gave my life to reaching and teaching middle school and high school students.

On more than one occasion, I heard an adult say something like, “You know, we need to invest in these teenagers, because they are the future of the church.” While the sentiment is good, the statement is false. I don’t believe that teenagers are the future of the church…I believe they are the present.

Throughout Scripture, God used young people to accomplish His purpose. David was a teenager when he brought down Goliath. Josiah was eight years old when he became an Isrealite ruler. And Mary was probably a teenager when she was entrusted with the baby Jesus.

Spiritual maturity is not measured by age. I’ve met 14-year olds who were better Christians, more in tune with the message of Jesus and more passionate about serving him than the deacons who ran their church. There’s no little Christian cagegory in the Bible. You don’t become a pre-follower. No…teenagers can and should be fully devoted followers of Christ.

This fall, we are kicking off a new student ministry. It will have a new name (Fuel). It will have a new location (The House of Rock). Middle School and High School students will meet together every Wednesday night and I will be teaching. Matt Moody is going to lead worship. I’m excited about giving some of my time to this important ministry and teaching students truths from God’s Word in a way they can understand.

Pray for the student ministry at Oak Leaf Church.

1. That the best leaders and volunteers in our church would serve in this ministry. (By the way, I’m leading a meeting on Wednesday night, July 23, for anyone interested in helping with the new student ministry this fall.)

2. That students far from God in Bartow County would be radically saved.

3. That later this fall, or early next year, God would bring us the right full-time youth pastor.

Fam Happs

Braden turned 7 yesterday. He got to wear the cool hat at the Mexican Restaurant as they sang to him. (I think Dana pushed him toward choosing the Mexican place cause she wanted chips and salsa.)

Logan (5) was really really really wanting to go outside the other day. Dana kept telling him no, not now. Knowing he needed someone to watch him while out there...and knowing Dana could not at that time...he eventually said, "Hey mommy, God can just watch us."

Confession: I'm the Family Pastor at a a church and my 2 yr old's favorite word when he gets mad is "stupid". Man, I got some work to do. :-)

Short Must Read

A VERY COOL STORY

The Road to the Theater: Prayer Guide Day 4

From Michael's blog:

Today is Thursday, and I’m asking everyone to fast and ask God to do something huge through Oak Leaf Church. Check out yesterdays post for information on the fast. If you can’t do it today, you can choose another day.

Today’s prayer request come from Will, our Creative Arts Pastor. He writes…

We have made the word “worship” synonymous with the music we sing on Sunday morning and forgotten it is a lifestyle and a mindset that extends far beyond the boundaries of a one hour experience on Sunday mornings. If we really want to see people taken from where they are to where God wants them to be, we must first be willing to accept that mission ourselves, transform our worship into a daily outpouring of God-honoring words and deeds, and let that journey become the blinding light the community is drawn to.

Take time today and pray for these specific requests:

1. Those who attend Oak Leaf will continue to make the connection between the sunday morning experience and their everyday life by shaping their habits to unashamedly and openly reflect the life-changing nature of Jesus Christ.

2. For every person that authentically carries the light of Jesus from Oak Leaf church into the community, ten people chose to show up on Sunday to see what makes that person so different.

3. The creative artists at OLC set such a standard for excellence in using their gifts to worship God, the entire arts community and culture in Cartersville is redeemed and reshaped to bring God glory.

Road to the Theater: Prayer Guide Day 3

Today’s prayer requests come from Jody May, our small groups pastor.

As we have already seen there are some big prayers being prayed for right now in our church. We want to be the church that has a great Sunday experience for adults and children. We want to see numerous people come to Christ of all ages. And lastly, we want to be a real church for real people, especially those who do not have a relationship with God…’yet.’

The way I see it Journey Groups will be leading the way in our efforts in, “Leading people from where they are to where God wants them to be.” They will be the backbone of our church by Reaching out to our community, Connecting with one another for strength and guidance, and Growing in their relationships with God.

Here is the prayer for our Journey Groups this year;

1. That we would have 25 groups in the fall. This is a huge step for us and would be an increase of 40%! This would be a representation of 60-65% of our adult attenders. What does this mean? It means more and more people will be in a place that is conducive to their spiritual health and to the health of the church.

2. That our Journey Groups will lead the way in reaching out to our community. That they will be all about inviting friends, neighbors, relatives, anyone to their groups, always striving to include. That they will invite these same people to church whenever they get a chance. And most importantly, that they would be the hands and feet of Christ in their community. That they would complete some type of outreach event once a quarter.

3. Lastly, that our people our so on fire for others, that every group has to multiply in February in order to handle the amount of people living life in a Journey Group.

I know that God is going to be doing some incredible things here! Please be in prayer with us as God takes this ministry to the next level.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” Ephesians 3:20

Road to the Theater: Prayer Guide Day 2

Reaching kids and families is not a secondary thing at Oak Leaf. It’s not an afterthought. And KidVenture (preschool & elementary) is not a low priority. In fact, it’s a top priority! God has called us to impact kids and parents in Bartow County and beyond. We are on a mission to see thousands of lives changed!

Today, please pray these three specific prayers for KidVenture:

1. Let Oak Leaf Church become the first place hurting families turn to in a time of crisis. Our prayer is that we become known in the community as the healing place for families. Through counseling, providing basic needs, or whatever the situation calls for, we want to reach families at the point of their need.

2. That our church would reach thousands of children through the public school system. We believe thousands of kids will come to faith in Christ over the next several years. And we believe this will be a direct result of Oak Leaf’s involvement in the public school system. Inviting kids to KidVenture on Sunday morning is great…but we must do more. We must go to where they are. Pray for the right strategic partnerships with our local schools. Pray that the right doors will open so we can take the Gospel in to the schools.

3. That God would raise up crazy, energetic, passionate volunteers on Sunday morning that would make KidVenture contagious. It’s no secret: Oak Leaf has the best volunteers on the planet! We are VERY APPRECIATIVE for all the sacrifice that each individual makes throughout the week and on the weekends. Our prayer is that as we go to three services at the theater, God would raise up even more terrific volunteers. We want to make that one hour on Sunday morning THE BEST hour of that child’s week! Pray that parents, teenagers, moms, dads…anyone and everyone would step up and volunteer for that one hour each Sunday. Let’s unite and make KidVenture so contagious that kids in Cartersville are dragging their parents to church each week!

Road to the Theater: Prayer Guide Day 1

Hello everyone. Happy Monday to ya. Each day this week, you will find a prayer guide posted here, taken directly from Michael's blog. It's prayer requests from the staff of Oak Leaf, as we prepare to move back to the theater and overall prayer for this ministry. Check out Monday's below. Thanks for praying!
-Jonathan

As I talked about on Sunday, I’m calling on everyone connected to Oak Leaf Church to pray for us as we get ready to move to the movie theater. Each day on this blog (and on the blogs of all our other staffers), I’ll talk a little bit about what we’re doing and give you three big prayer requests. If you know Christians in other churches, please ask them to pray. If you’re a church leader or Christian from another city, we covet your prayers. In addition to praying some specific prayers this week, I’m asking everyone to fast on Thursday. I’ll write more about that tomorrow.

This morning, I want to ask you to pray for what happens on Sunday. Sunday is the time when most people will experience Oak Leaf Church for the first time. So, we spend a lot of time throughout the week getting ready for Sunday, preparing for the guests that will come over to the house.

We don’t want Sunday morning to just be a church service. We don’t want it to be just another sermon or just some more songs. No…we want God to show up and speak to someone. We want somebody’s life to be radically changed with the power of the Gospel. We want to offer hope and encouragement.

And we don’t just want to family to come through the front door…we want to invite guests. In fact, we’re expecting them. When our volunteers are setting up lights and stages and kids equipment at the theater, they do so knowing that today will be the day that a “one” shows up.

Maybe it’s a mom who has been praying for her prodigal son for two years and he’s finally agreed to come to church. Maybe it’s the single mom who hasn’t been to church in years because the last time she went, she felt guilty for being a single mom. Maybe someone has been praying for one person for so long and today is the day they are coming to church. If that was your somebody, you would have wanted us to go all out to present the message in the most creative, relevant, and inspirational way possible. That’s why we work so hard on Sunday. Because somebody is coming to church that day.

Today, focus on praying for what happens on Sundays at Oak Leaf Church.

1. Pray for the new series that starts this week…”SuperNatural.” We’re talking about angels, demons and spiritual warfare. As I study this stuff, pray that God would speak through me.

2. For the hundreds of “ones” who we want to see come to Oak Leaf Church and meet Jesus. We didn’t start this church to give religious people a God-fix…we came here to see Jesus transform the lives of thousands of people.

3. For people to “come and see.” We believe the movie theater gives people a great opportunity to invite their friends, neighbors and co-workers. Pray for people to come check out church at the movies.

Space Cake & A Monsoon

Sunday Recap:

• Today at the Leaf was great! Elementary kids enjoyed the surprise of a space ship cake. Thanks to Tiffany Nash for making a great cake! (Shhh...I had 3 pieces.) It was a great fit for ending our space themed series, "Starlight Station." For the past eight weeks we learned about the life of Joseph, and about being a servant leader.
  
• The adult service had a tall oak tree on stage as a sermon illustration. But, elementary had a space ship cake...so we are better. (ha)
• As you can see by the waterfall that Tommy & Jody are admiring, we had a bit of rain on our last day at Woodland High School. (Can you say monsoon?!) Our setup/breakdown crew are absolutely amazing. Driving home today, I was thinking about the setup dudes I've gotten to know over the past few months. These guys are stinking amazing. And not just cause they show up early and stay late and carry 500 pound items on & off a truck. But because they have a great huge heart. And they've become a tight nit group. It's OLC's version of men's ministry and it's rad.
  
• Once again, OLC volunteers have blown me away. Everyone knows the huge task ahead as we stretch ourselves to 3 services and move back to the motherland (movie theater). Over the past several days, I've had old/current/and new volunteers STEP UP and say "count on me!" for volunteering at the movie theater. The momentum is building and I am completely stoked! Thanks everyone for making such an important investment.

Saturday Pre-Game

Sunday morning - almost here.
Top 5 pre-game thoughts:

• During our practice setup this morning at Carmike, I assisted some dudes in setting up the stage (big huge pieces of stage). My good buddy Wade pointed out that carrying heavy stage might not be my spiritual gift. :-) I was a good bit slower than most of those studs. (No big deal though, I reminded Wade that I was better at Texas Hold'em.) :-)
• The heart of KidVenture is going to become partnering with parents. In other words, I want everything we do to center around the idea of inspiring/educating/resourcing parents to TAKE IT HOME - disciple their kids at home, building faith at home. Yesterday, Dana came up with a great name or slogan for this push and I AM PUMPED ABOUT IT! Can't wait to reveal it....in the next few months...so ya gotta wait. :-)
• I've had 3 smiley faces in this post thus far. That's way too many.
• Tomorrow we bid farewell to Woodland High School. We have a cool surprise for our elementary kids and our preschool kids. The only hint I can give is this: I hope nothing blows up.
• Two words: Kids & Families. One word: Invest. Can't wait til tomorrow morning!
  

Matthew 18:5
"Anyone who welcomes a little child on my behalf is welcoming me."
-Jesus

Rule 53

Yesterday I was cruising on Lake Lanier - on a Kawasaki STX 1100 Jet Ski. It does a top speed of 53 m.p.h. Also, to get to this family member's place on the lake, we have to take hwy 53. So, in the spirit of cheesiness, I've made a new rule for times when me and the wife and fam need to get away to see family, relax, disconnect --> Rule 53.

And since I'm under Rule 53 as I type this, I must now shut my laptop and get back to the kiddos and hot wife.
:-)

Chow.
Hope to see my OLC friends at the practice setup at Carmike tomorrow morning, 7am.

Busted

My buddy Mitch caught me this morning. In light of my post last Tuesday, YES - I'm a hypocrite. Sorry, I'll try to live better.
:-)

Thanks...i think

I was calling around today, looking for a specific prop for our Kid's Check-In Area. This one dude answers my call and was cordial and seemed to want to help. But toward the end of our 30 second conversation, he dropped the sugar coated bomb on me. "Yeah, sorry I don't have one of those...wish I could help...but I'll keep you in the back of my mind and call you if something comes up."

Perhaps it was a slip. Or perhaps it's just a common statement used in our society and he decided to pull it out of the ole brain. Whatever the case, I think I'm going to be careful to never use this phrase. Essentially want you are telling someone is, "Uh, yeah, sure...I'll file that away - WAY AWAY - in the far depths of my mind...somewhere around the trash bin." I don't think the guy really meant anything by it, but it was a great reminder that we need to choose our words carefully. Keep me in the back of your mind? Uh, yeah, thanks....I think. In other words, what you are saying is there is a fat chance I will ever hear from you again. Make that 100% chance that you are not calling me back, right?

This particular situation brought to mind other topics: sugarcoating, being blunt, how to be straightforward yet graceful,...I will blog later about those. Right now, they are in the back of my mind. :-)

Bonus: I just thought of THIS song.
Good lyrics.

City Surprise

Our Elementary Environment (The City) is ending an eight week series this Sunday. It's been a space theme called "Starlight Station". It's been a blast. (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

We have a surprise for the kids this Sunday. No, not an astronaut. No, not a bounce house. No, not a moon rock.

Hint: It involves fire.
:-)

College Football Fix

Must read article:

Why I Really Dislike Alabama Fans

:-)

That Just Rocks!

THIS is a cool video of a church making a difference in their community. Man, gets your blood goin'!

Catch Up

For all 5 of you who read my blog, sorry for the silence. I've been out of town, around town, up town, in town, downtown, and just plumb busy! But no fear, here is a recap of the last couple of days.

• Above pic: Braden playing with some army dudes on the kitchen table, after getting back from the pool. Oh, did I mention?: HE PRAYED TO RECEIVE CHRIST Thursday morning, July 3rd! Celebrate! Dana and I could tell God had been working on him...from the questions he was asking, etc. He came to us that morning and said, "I want to ask Jesus in to my life." I'm so thankful to the great volunteers at Oak Leaf and family and everyone who invested in him...and continue to do so.
  
• 2 weeks left at Woodland High School, then back to the movie theater. It's a huge challenge prepping for 3 services, but I can't wait! What do I look forward to most? Smacking Satan around as we grow and see lives changed all around us.
  
• July 4th at Delinger Park was blazing hot, but tons of fun. We have some volunteers who sacrifice A TON because they love God, love others, and love the vision of the church.
• Pssst....shhhh.....not too loud.....but college football is getting closer!
• THIS is a great post from a pastor about helping others.
• Summer time stinkin' rocks! Outside a ton. Kids at the pool all the time. And losing 10 pounds walking from the office to my car (by sweating).

Final Analysis

For 2 months now I've been inundated in to the energy drink world. 2 dudes on staff drink them religiously. That has rubbed off on me and I have dabbled in this cult like world (the no carb ones though). Here's my final analysis on these overpriced delights:

• They taste nasty. It does grow on you, but it's still nasty.
• People who say they are horrible for you are over exaggerating. People who say they are completely healthy are over exaggerating.
• I wish I had invented them. They are selling like hotcakes.
• They advertise them very well. Also, cool names.
• I think I'm going to hang up my newly found habit. I've done the math and realized I can purchase a new car within the next year from the amount of money I'll be saving.
  

Staff Retreat

Day 1 of our staff retreat is complete. 5 quick hits:

• Everyone on our staff is completely nuts. How we get anything accomplished is a true act of God. (That's my way of saying I love and respect everyone I work with and pumped about where we are going.)
• I'm reading THIS book right now.
  
• Going back to our staff - I think Mitch may be somewhat off in the head.
• We are in Chattanooga. Their downtown area has improved a lot over the past 10 years.
  
• Phrase I heard today from Gary Lamb that I like: "Remember, everybody is somebody's somebody."
  

Sunday Funday

• Our Elementary Ministry could not meet in the Cafeteria today, so we had to use the gym. Turns out, the gym COMPLETELY ROCKS. Far more room, less smelly, better lighting, and better sound. Good stuff.
• We talked about how Servant Leaders are Reliable.
  
• New wireless mics - 20x better than previous stuff.
• Met some very cool people at our Partnership Class after church. One dude told me he had not been living like he knew he should, had been getting our postcards, then one day hit a brick wall with his job. That was his breaking point and he decided to give God and church one last chance. That was 3 weeks ago and he said the past 3 weeks at OLC have rocked his world (and his family).
  
• The previous comment makes getting up at 4:30am on Sundays much easier.
• 3 weeks from today we are back at the movie theatre. Fun times.
• Looking forward to hanging out with a few thousand people this Friday at Delinger Park - July 4th.
• After some cosmic bowling with the staff tonight, I told Dana just how lucky we are to have the chemistry we do on our staff. Yeah, sure, tons of different personalities. But, it's amazing just how well everyone gets along. All 150% committed to the God-given mission. All bustin' our tales to reach more people.
  

Incredible Support (Family)

Dana and I are VERY lucky to have incredible family that supports us. Usually for a week or so every summer, my parents and her parents grab 2 kids each (reminder: we have 4!) to give us a break. (Who am I kidding, it's really to give Dana a break. Plus, they just love their grandkids.) Here's two pics from my mom's cell phone of their recent activities with our two oldest. I'm proud of you Nana & Pop - you did a ton in just a few days. Rest is coming soon!

Blue Angels in Huntsville, AL

4 grandkids, one old dude, a boat, a dock, and some smelly fish

Not included: Water Park
Not included: Grandparents pulling their hair out. (just kidding)

The Chaos Within

It's everywhere, I'm convinced. I've seen it in couples. Families. Organizations. Churches. Anything that involves people. The outward/inward thing. On the outside a couple appears fine. But on the inside they are on step number 4 towards divorce (and there are only 5 steps). Families - there used to be birthday celebrations and fish frys, but now they are lucky if the family even gets together for Christmas anymore. Organizations - the numbers are up and everything looks great...but soon, the inward office turmoil that was successfully kept secret for 2.5 years seeps out and things sink quick. Churches - lots of good smiles on Sunday morning and lots of people in place...everybody doing their thing...but inwardly some staff member or volunteer is on the brink of disaster and nobody knows it.

It's the chaos within.

Not sure why this phrase popped in my head. Thinks are surprisingly calm in my world right now...but I'm up late thinking about the turmoil that people go through each day. And I think about the question my great wife thinks about whenever we face trials of our own: "How in the world does anyone go through these tough times without Christ? I don't see how they make it."

And while I think about these different life situations, all sharing the same common bond of inward chaos, I immediately think of this verse:

"He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." Col 1:17 (read whole chapter HERE)

Since He is the Creator of all things, He is also the Sustainer of all things. And He is the peace of the inward chaos. He is the hope of the inward one day matching the outward. He is the one to cling to. The One to never give up on - He's certainly not given up on you. The One that when your life is surrendered to Him, all things become new and the inward stands a chance now...after all, it is free.

He is Jesus.

Quote(s) of the Day

"From here on out, underdog does not mean anything. Write it down. Underdog does not mean anything. We showed anything can happen."

"It's mind over matter. It's just a little pain. The pain is temporary. Pride is forever."

- Fresno State Baseball players after winning the College World Series

I was pulling for UGA. Oh well.
Full story HERE.

Quick Swim, Anyone?

An early sign that I would one day end up in ministry, specifically with kids:

As a kid, I used to daydream in church just how cool it would be for a pool liner to be laid out all through the church, the church filled to the top with water, a hole cut in the roof, and then scuba dive all throughout the building.

I'm still holding out hope that this can be accomplished.
:-)

What Breath Mints Taught Me Today

Driving home from work today, I looked down at the small blue tub of Icebreaker breath mints sitting in my passenger seat. After popping one in my mouth, I observed the 2 tabs. The first says "to share". The second, naturally, says "not to share". For those of you who have enjoyed these tasty treats, you know that the "to share" tab is much bigger. When you pop that side open, about 1/2 the top comes open, giving easy access for someone to reach inside and grab one (or more). The "not to share" side only gives a small space, ideal for shaking out one mint for yourself.

So here's the attempt at illustrating a point. When we get bold and share our lives (example: a journey group at church), or share our stuff (giving is better than receiving), and share our talents and our insights, share our lives by investing in the life of a kid or troubled teen, etc, we're more open for God's blessings and more open for great big stuff in our lives - learning from others. Like the mints (yeah, I know it's a stretch, just stay with me) with the "to share" side, the opportunities are just better. On the opposite end, when you decide not to share and stay selfish with the talents God has given you, it's easy to become self-centered, self-serving, and miss out on one of the greatest blessings of life - giving of yourself to lift someone else up.

So the challenge: SHARE. Whatever that means for you. Perhaps it's opening up with a group and sharing a struggle. Maybe it's sharing a gift you possess with the church, something you've been holding back on cause you've been nervous about serving. Share your Nintendo DS games - in case my 6 yr old reads this. And my favorite: share your wisdom and life experience and smile with a preschooler or elementary kid at Oak Leaf on Sunday morning. :-)

by the way: the blue ones are better than the green ones

Bogged but Excited...and hopeful

Title says it all. That's what is shaking in my world right now.

Genuine Friendship

I'm currently reading Pop Goes The Church, by Tim Stevens. Highly recommended read for everyone. Lots of good stuff so far. One of my favorite paragraphs comes from the Foreword by Ed Young. Here ya go:

"It is said of Jesus that he was a friend of sinners. That doesn't mean he tolerated them. That doesn't mean he took them on as an evangelistic project. It doesn't even mean he hung out with them out of pity. It means what it says. He was their friend. He cared about their needs, listened to their problems, and helped them in whatever situation to understand that God loved them - Jesus loved them. In fact, I might be making a stretch here (but I don't think so) in saying that he might have preferred hanging out with the sinners because there was no pretense or religious hypocrisy. His harshest criticism was not for the sinners but for the religious leaders of the day. He saw their rituals and legalism as oppressive, hypocritical, and extremely opposed to the spirit of the law. The law had become god and God had become (or seemed) irrelevant. Sound familiar? The law was meant to drive people into the loving embrace of the Father, not away from him."

Pool Rulz

Took 3 of the kids to the pool by myself yesterday. (I do not necessarily suggest this...take 3 preschoolers to the pool by yourself at your own risk.)

A few observations:

• Lots of swimming makes kids tired...therefore, they go to bed easier. Thank you pool. :-)
• My 2 yr old has no fear of the water - none whatsoever. He's jumping in like it's a bowl of jello.
• If a frog appears poolside, it will capture all kid's attention. It will keep their attention for over 1/2 an hour. Consequently, the frog will eventually be crushed by some kid who squeezes too hard. Sorry frog.
• I'm trying to get better about turning off ministry stuff in my mind and enjoying the moment - with my kids, at the pool.

Off to the lake today. More water, more fun.
Hope to see everyone at OLC tomorrow.

Today's Prayer

My prayer today comes from the song HOSANNA.

"Break my heart for what breaks Yours"

Wow, I'm Slower Than I Thought

TEST YOUR SKILLS

U do the math

Ok, we all know that ministry cannot be reduced down to a formula. However, I'm curious. What would you put in the following: (feel free to explain your answers or not)

__________ + ____________ = "Successful" Children's Ministry

No Matter What - HAVE FUN

Ok, super deep spiritual stuff comin' your way today. :-)

I'm determined to look for more moments of fun in life. Here's what I mean: it's way too easy to get bogged down in the details of your job or be frustrated with your kid's behavior or stressed over whatever whatever...God did not intend for life to be this way - in fact, quite the opposite. Lately, I'm just learning to relax more (not as in a Lazy Boy Recliner) and realize that if we honor God and honor our employer by working diligently, we can trust God with the results.

I'm a goofy dude (extremely). God wired me to be a dork. And I like FUN. It's important. And when I'm "in my element", I like to laugh and make others laugh. This week's mission: seek out fun, enjoy what God has blessed us with. Work your tail off, have fun doing it.

One thing I've concluded...

...ok, maybe a few...

• life is way too short to worry all the time
• think of the biggest thing you could think of for your life and for your ministry - FACT: God wants to do 20x that, for His glory.
• i have to have a lot more Sundays like today - one in which i purposely put myself in front of tons of parents and guests and kids...yet, all the details have to be covered too, all planning has to be done, all volunteers have to be in place.
• fact: i probably said Thank You about 40 times today. fact: i was probably 28 short.
• the only way to get your kids to swim is to throw them in the water. the fear will eventually subside.
• tiger woods is a stinkin' beast. playing hurt like he did this weekend and forcing a playoff is outstanding. i think anthony grotto, our executive pastor at oak leaf, sounds like tiger when he talks.
• dana and i need a vacation...like on a regular basis...you know, the kind you take every year - not every other year or once every 3 years.
  
• my dad is a great dad. happy father's day Pop!
  

Both Sad & Funny

Longest Question Ever?

VIDEO

Sticking With What Works

What us Auburn fans like to hear:

CLICKY

lazy saturday morning

no agenda this morning - has been great!

• played TMNT on my kid's DS. helped them defeat the game. (Fatherly duty, eh?)
• put out Oak Leaf road signs yesterday - and had an awesome group show up to help.
• saw the Hulk last night (8 out of 10) and then Dana and I got to hang with some good friends (10 out of 10).
  
• taking my 2 oldest to bday party today - swimming pool - should be fun.
• did i read the internet correctly this morning?! the Braves actually won last night??!!!
• i allowed Dana to sleep in this morning, fixed the kids some biscuits. ummmm...ok, "sleeping in" was 9am. that's all i could handle by myself. :-)
• i'm J-A-Z-Z-E-D up about tomorrow morning. can't wait to see some familiar faces and meet some new parents and kids and get it all crankin' at 6am. bring the heat!
  

I'm old...but not really

I'm only 31...but dude, I have felt very old lately. We have some great volunteers at Oak Leaf, and recently, around the office, most have been either just out of high school or just out of college. Dude, that's anywhere from 9 - 13 years younger than me!

(Those in their 40's and up are telling me to shut up right now. I know this. Still, can't help it.)

The Day I Stole the Mormon's Ties

I was at Goodwill today, shopping for some neckties. (Come to Oak Leaf Church Sunday morning to find out why.) As I was pulling some off the rack, I noticed 2 Mormon missionary dudes shopping in the next aisle...also looking at ties (and dress clothes). Well, I ended up purchasing the whole rack of ties - only 25 cents a piece - before they walked over to that particular section. I needed a bunch.

Yes, indeed, I know what you are thinking.
Rebel.
:-)

Phrase of the Week

Used by my pastor this past Sunday morning, on stage:
"Criss Cross Applesauce"

For better understanding, go to www.oakleafchurch.com and watch the first video of Crossing Over series.

Excellent Reporting

My good friend Stephen Hauck recently did some creative reporting.

VIDEO HERE

Excellent work dude.
I'll say about a 9.6 on the dive.

Random Restaurant Idea

Had a good idea (maybe) for a restaurant the other day, while driving around.

The Gathering Place
Eat good food. Make a big difference.

The general idea would be that each week, some (most) of the money made would go toward a local charity. The restaurant may be only open a couple nights each week. Different themes would take place. Different local and regional chefs would come in and give of their time, since it is for charity. The cost would not be outrageous, but not cheap either...after all, you are eating good food and giving for a great cause. The details are blurry, but I just like the whole idea. Plus, I thought the tag line was good. :-)

Knives?....play on!

The scene: Me and the fam went to a Mexican restaurant last night before going to the Summer Concert Series in downtown C'ville (where we did some serious Baptist dancin'!). Logan, my 5 yr old, was horsin' around with his fork and knife. I asked him to put it down and when I did, my 6 yr old said, "Oh Dad, it's ok if he hurts his hand, there are nurses behind us." We had a good laugh as we turned around and saw three ladies, in scrubs, sitting at the booth directly behind us. After almost spitting my food out from laughter, I first said, "Very observant son." And then I turned and told the nurses the story. They got a good kick out of it and said they were Operating Room nurses...and playing along, one of them said she "could amputate" if necessary.

Hmmm. Alrighty. My dinner didn't quite look the same after that.
:-)

Hugs

If you've never seen THIS VIDEO about hugs, then welcome to the internet.
:-)

It got me thinking about my days at Auburn. I hung around some hugging freaks. I myself was a hugging freak. Where have those days gone? Oh, I don't miss it too bad...but man, we need to get some huggin' goin' on around C'ville!...ok, maybe I do miss it.

Ha.
Spread the love.

The Good, The Bad, and The....What?!

Went to the Braves game last night with my little bro from Auburn. We had a blast. Here's what you need to know:

THE GOOD:

• Got a $100 valued ticket for only 30 bucks. (Included access into VIP area in the outfield and $10 voucher for food.)
  
• Above pic is where we were sitting - 24 rows back from home plate.
  
• Brian McCann hit a two run blast to right field. Cool stuff.
• Hangin' with my little bro Justin was fun. He knows sports and knows how to have a good time at sporting events.
  
• Parking was easy. (That was a surprise!)
• As I do with most places, I analyzed what they did for families/kids and brainstormed on ideas for Oak Leaf.

THE BAD:

• The Braves lost their 17th one run game of the season. Ouch. Whatduyado?
• Top of the ninth, 2 outs, Braves get the batter to pop up, routine fly ball, our 2nd baseman (Kelly Johnson) drops it. Tough luck. They tie it and win in the 10th.
  
• That's a shame cause my boy Tim Hudson, from Auburn, pitched a phenomenal game.
• Got rained on a little, no big deal though.

THE WHAT?!:

• In the 9th, me and my bro start walking out toward the right field exit so we could dash to our cars and get out before the jam. We plop a seat out there and after about 10 minutes of sitting there, a security guy asked us to move. We were sitting right above the tunnel/gate where the field crew runs out to pretty-up the infield. The security dude said, "Yeah, gentlemen, if you would please move...we cannot permit anyone to sit right here." We look around, kinda laughin'...really, almost thinking it was a joke. We asked why and he wouldn't say. He really didn't seem all that serious about it, and he walked off. We just kind of looked at each other and kept watching the game. 10 seconds later, another security guy walked up and said the same thing...but he was much more serious. To us, it didn't make much sense. We had already been there for 10+ minutes and they were just normal seats. It was not roped off or anything. We get up this time, obeying his request, but we certainly asked WHY?. He told us that last week someone fell to their death, right where we were seated...in to the tunnel below us, where the field crew guys were. Still thinking that he was joking...or maybe not...we said, "Really?!...cmon man...seriously?" Anyways, we didn't argue with him, we just moved.

Sadly, at home now, I find THIS story. The security dude wasn't kidding. My heart goes out to the Hayes' family.

Friday's Pic

The highlight of my kid's do so far is seeing the big Ortho Ant outside Lowe's in C'ville.

Inspiration without Revelation

Great word from Perry Noble HERE.

What Are You Looking For?

Talked to a buddy recently who said he was looking for excitement...within his church. He so badly wants there to be passion stirring, hearts bustin' at the seams, lives being changed, and well...just excitement.

I remember over 2 years ago, after helping launch Oak Leaf, and then as we got rolling month after month, I remember telling Dana, "I love being part of a God movement where there is energy and excitement. There are challenges. There is a HUGE mission. It's just exciting and I love being part of it."

That same zeal is present now. I love being part of something exciting...challenging...life changing...important. I've grown more in the past 2 years than I had in the previous...well, a long time. Thank you Oak Leaf (people). You are a huge blessing to me and my family. You've strengthened my family and have renewed a hunger within me to share the Gospel - at all times, to everyone.

Excitement: not unspiritual to look for.

Did I Really?

Did I really stay up late to watch a hockey game? I thought the Red Wings had the Stanley Cup wrapped up last night, but the Penguins held tough and took game 5 in 3 OT's. Man, staying up late for a hockey game....what's wrong with me? It aint college football, but I suppose semi-entertaining.

Officially Kicked Out

Well, my wife has officially kicked me out. Done. Over. No more. My stuff is currently in boxes. Yep, she's taken over our home office. My Auburn football helmet is no longer wanted. My "I might need this one day" junk is boxed up as well. My diploma, on the floor. Her brand new diploma, now on the wall. And it wouldn't be official without other new changes: she's got fru-fru curtains up, nice artsy pics on the wall... and worse yet, the office now smells good. Gee, next thing I know we'll be using the home office for actual work and not as a storage unit. :-)

And since I share a church office with 2 other people, I'm hunting for some space. I think I may buy an old painter's van and just office out of it. :-)

Servant Leaders Want Others To Succeed

The above was the main point in our Elementary Ministry today, The City. As I prepared throughout this past week, I thought through and prayed through the lesson. And as always, God spoke a great word TO ME through a simple "kid lesson".

Here was the thought for me this week...this is how I felt I should apply this. Churches should want other churches to succeed. I should want other churches to succeed. Local churches. Down the road churches. Out of state churches. Over seas. Everywhere. Ah, but let's say local one more time: local churches. Cause that's the most difficult one for most people. YES, I should wholeheartedly care like crazy about the success of other local churches. I/we/all of us have to move past this competitive junk. This traditional junk. This been around too long in the Bible Belt junk. If we are to profess Unity in Christ and like mindedness in the Great Commission, etc, then we must pray for one another and ask for God's blessing upon one another.

God has given me opportunities over the past several weeks to flesh this out and it's been great. I have several local friends in ministry. I have friends spread throughout GA in ministry. I've felt compelled to pray for them more recently. I've felt compelled to send the occasional text message on a Sunday afternoon..."hey, just drove by your church, hope all went well today..."

Along those lines, I need to be more careful about my comments about other ministries...and yeah, maybe lighten up on my criticism of church signs. :-)

BIG NOTE THOUGH: This doesn't mean we can't still make fun of one another, when warranted. :-)

Out & About

Stayed home for most of today, but then had an eventful evening.

+ Me and the staff boys met at 5pm and put out some Oak Leaf Church road signs. My two oldest assisted me. We successfully dodged cars. :-)

+ While putting up a sign near Walmart, I ran in to a dude that lives in my neighborhood. I've invited him several (dozen) times, but have laid off for awhile. He mentioned something about how he thought it was cool when we were in the theater. I told him we are re-launching a campus there. He said that was cool and that when him and the fam return from their summer trip, he's coming to visit for the first time.

+ After the road signs, Dana calls to say her car won't start and she's stuck at the store. Me and the my 2 oldest boys go up there and jump the car off and drive it to an auto store. Yep, bad battery. While standing in line, a guy strikes up a conversation with me and reminds me to "take pictures and cherish em while their young." He proceeds to tell me that his oldest just graduated high school. I ask him some questions about where his son is going to college, etc, and then asked him which high school his son just finished. He said Woodland High School. My 6 yr old then jumped in on the conversation and said, "Hey, that's where we go to church..." Good job Braden.

+ Going back to the jumping Dana's car off part of the evening: A nice gentlemen stayed around to make sure it would start. He gave me some advice on how to line up my cables and told me some stuff about a car battery that only a really smart person would know. (My guess: He was an engineer.) After helping us out...it took forever for her dead battery to get charged enough to crank...this guy whips out an invite card to his church. He was from Cartersville First Baptist and he was an IT dude there. He knew some of our friends from there and we shot the breeze a bit. Very cool guy.

+ And Dana is one step closer to having a full fledged office of her own. It has now been painted. All the junk is out of there. A few decorations to come. Most importantly: Her hard earned diploma will be hanging on the wall.

No Cheap Image

In Sydney, a light show is being staged to mark this week's Fifa Congress meeting in the Australian city. The images of international football legends are the largest projections ever cast onto the bridge.

I think college towns need to do this. That's just cool.

Sausage Biscuits and The Call of God

We need to be careful. The Call of God on someone's life, to go do a specific thing, should never be reduced to a formula. It can't be minimized to any certain, similar set of circumstances. Why do I bring this up? Well, I just think here in the Bible Belt, especially, we have been known to (either intentionally or unintentionally) say, "THIS is what it looks like to be called in to the ministry"...or "THIS is what you must do next." Now, over the past 10 or so years, I think we've had less of that. And I think that change is good.

The specific call to ministry looks very different for many people. If you pulled 10 people in the same room, you should hear 10 unique stories. Don't get me wrong, there will be similar parts of each story. But how each individual arrived at knowing they were supposed to do f/t ministry will be (should be) unique.

God's timing amazes me. For starters, it's rarely our timing. I knew in college that I wanted to do f/t ministry. In His providence, He placed me around amazing followers of Christ that lived and breathed ministry. One of the simple ways (among many others) that I knew I would be in f/t ministry is the fact that I could rarely ever read Scripture without imagining how I would present it...thinking of illustrations....getting so fired up over a passage and thinking, "I HAVE TO go tell everybody about this. This is rich! They gotta hear."

But the road and process of getting in to a f/t ministry position was not want I had originally planned. It was longer than I expected. It was more confusing than I expected. It was doing something that I never expected - working with kids (and loving it!).

Bonus #1: Everyone is called to do ministry. Some are specifically called "in to" ministry, to lead and serve the church. But, EVERYBODY is called to minister.
Bonus #2: About the sausage biscuits...umm...yeah, I just like em. That's all.

Where Ministry Happens

There's a lot of good stuff happening on a Sunday morning. After all, it's our front door. And it's planned and prepped for and prayed over and tons of energy is put in to it. But as Michael and other staff has been saying for a long time, you'll miss the point of it all if your experience never goes beyond a Sunday morning. In other words, you will not get to where God wants you to be if you simply just attend on a Sunday morning. (That's true of any church, anywhere.)

Over the past several weeks, I've THOROUGHLY ENJOYED being in the community, not having to commute 40 minutes south of Cartersville. I've enjoyed connecting with people and hearing their story. I've enjoyed the random run-ins and connection times. And I loved getting our Journey Group cranked back up last night. In these gatherings, both planned and spontaneous, ministry (life change) is happening. Meeting people where they are, conversations come easier.

Nothing new here, I know. Just a reminder that we should all be gathering, throughout the week....planned and spontaneous....constantly praying, and sharing, and praising our Great God, and learning together, and caring for each other....going beyond the Sunday morning.

Wednesday's Question

Assuming you grew up in church, what was your favorite part of church as a kid, and why?

Extra Credit: Assuming you go now, what is your favorite part?

You have permission to not give a "churchy" answer. :-)

Very Strange Post

Yep. Strange indeed. What you are looking at is one of the new tires that was installed on Dana's suburban today. Why am I boring you with this ridiculous post? No good reason. :-) Just a slow day in blog world I suppose. Ha.

But here's the main point (as if there is one): These are LT tires - "light truck". The previous tires were passenger tires and did not carry the weight of a 98 Suburban well at all. I feel that I've successful converted her Kid Carrier in to a real truck. Ok, not really. But I have decreased the likelihood of the car hydroplaning off the road during rain - dude, you should have seen the baldies we were riding on. Not good.

Less Has Been Better

I've watched far less tv lately, mainly due to getting acclimated to my new job. Lots of work to do. I figured I wouldn't miss it much, and I was right. Less is far better.

One reward for watching less tv is less frustration. Take tonight for example. We return from being out of town, get the kids to bed, so I flip on the news (first bad idea). It was CNN (much worse idea). They had a special on the War in Iraq. It seemed to have some interesting footage and a decent storyline. But in less than 5 minutes, they managed to tick me off and insult our troops. They were reviewing one of the major parts of the War - the fight for Fallujah. The journalist spent less than 3 seconds talking about what our troops accomplished there and the sacrifice they made and just how well they dominated a very difficult situation...and instead glamorized the Fallujah fighters and talked about their martyrdom - and it really wasn't even what the journalist said, but how he said it. His eyes were lit up and he almost seemed excited about what the enemy had done. It bordered praising them.

I try to stay out of this junk. Everyone knows how slanted most of the media is. Everyone knows CNN leans left and FOX leans right. No bigee. Not new news. But I get beyond irritated when someone would rather praise our enemy's efforts instead of THANKING our troups or giving credit where it is due. Perhaps I'm not being fair since I didn't watch the whole report. But what I saw in 5 minutes was downright disgusting.

"Roughin" It, Part II

It's still in me. That's what has been on my brain since returning from our fishing extravaganza. You see, I grew up fishing and hunting...and basically ALWAYS being outdoors - anything from riding bikes to wiffle ball games to bee bee guns and slingshots. That was the norm. And somewhere between college and working on my Master's and doing Sales and now f/t Ministry...you do that kind of stuff far less. Oh, I know, the whole growing up thing. Yeah, I get it. But, I'm determined to do far more stuff outside now. It does something to your soul. I'm gonna get over the fact that my allergies and some of my kid's allergies are bad. We'll fix it somehow. Being outside all day - especially after months and months of doing inside work - renews you like crazy. My dad and 2 brothers are big time outdoorsee dudes...and though I ended up being the different one (Biz Degree), my roots still scream within me - go jump in a stinkin' lake and get your stinkin' hands dirty! (Or something like that.) :-)

After this weekend, I'm now going to convince the Oak Leaf staff to allow me to start an outdoor service - preferably when it's storming and dangerous. Hmmmm...the kid's area would be a bit of a challenge...

"Roughin" It

Just returned from a fishing trip with my two oldest and my father-in-law. We went away 2 hours south to a family friend's place - a hunting camp basically. We got dirty with 4 wheelers, worms, fish, and being in the woods. And then we really "roughed" it up with the cabin we stayed in - central heat and air, normal beds, normal bathrooms, kitchen, dishwasher, and Direct TV. Ok, ok, you got me - we basically stayed in a house! Ha.

Now it's time to get cleaned up and get ready for church tomorrow. Lots of cool stuff to look forward to.

HEY GEORGE!

I was picking up church supplies from a school supply store yesterday and they had a table full of clearance stuff. Included on this table was a stack of free posters. I nabbed a few for my kids, included was good ole George. I just think it's funny and had to share.

What should I do with him?
(Keep it clean.)

Anywhere, Anytime

Read a good article in Christian Living magazine yesterday, while sitting in Chickfila - "If Only I'd Known", by Lisa A. Rice, co-author of For Parents Only: Getting Inside the Head of Your Kid. She mostly talks about her journey over the past several years in writing some books and the struggle of publishing, etc. Here's the quote that made me say YES!:

"I'm so glad our Christian Living publisher didn't read the magazine statistics, which inform us that most periodicals don't make it even one year! (Thank God we're on our fourth!) And I'm even more grateful that, from ancient days in Israel to today in America, God has never felt threatened about dismal stats or His ability to accomplish His purposes in any economy or environment."

Juicy Gossip on My Pastor

One of my Pastor's kids is spending the night at our house tonight. Hey, four kids is crazy, why not add one more, eh?! As any good staff member would do, I am taking full advantage of the situation by asking their kid a ton of questions about good ole Dad. So, for all the local chit chat clubs and blogs and whoever, here's what I've dug up so far:

He's a good daddy who plays ball and reads books. He loves Jesus and talks about Him a lot. He encourages His kids to do the same and tells them to invite their friends to church, all the time. He's made mistakes and owned up to them. He wants nothing more than to see hundreds and thousands of people in this community come to faith in Christ and he stretches the staff and volunteers hard, pushing us to give our very best for this Kingdom Agenda - a cause worth giving our everything. He's been known to buy designer jeans. BOOM, told you I had juicy stuff!

The above text was not derived from asking any questions of the Pastor's kids. No interrogation took place. Simply put, it was a cheesy way of saying I'm glad Michael is our Pastor, he's doing a knock out job, and he's a leader that can trusted and followed - no matter how crazy his ideas may seem sometimes. Also, no animals were harmed in the making of this post.

"Say Your Prayers"

If I told you that my 3 yr old daughter walked up to my wife and said, "Say your prayers", you would probably think, "Awe, how cute!" And she did...but it was much different than you think. Early this morning, Kinley walked up to Dana with a brass look on her face, holding an Iron Man weapon, and in her best "mean" (Cowboy-like) voice said, "Mommy, say your prayers", as she pointed the weapon right at her. We both, of course, laughed and then questioned her on her new found battle declaration. She claims to have learned it from a boy at preschool...who is "not very nice".

Hope you enjoyed the quote of the day.
:-)

More Important

Immersed now for a few years in the churchplanting world, I've become very familiar with certain terms and phrases:

Vision, Structure, Leadership, Model, Energy Drinks (had to throw that one in there), Blog, Growth, Expansion, Campus, Team, Serve...

I was reminded tonight though, that while these terms are all fine and good, they are simply a vehicle to deliver far more important things. I was reminded of this when I heard how one of our volunteers connected with a middle school student who is dealing with tough issues, including cancer in the family. It made me stop and think of more important terms:

Hope, Life, Cancer, Sickness, Care, People, Strength, Relationships, Bonded in Him, Salvation, Faith, Love, Truth,...Jesus.

We must never get so caught up in methodology and strategy (doesn't mean we don't work hard, though) that we forget the Cornerstone of our life - why we do what we do and to whom God has called us to serve and invest in.

new blog

when i decide to spend some time on it...and can think of something really cool to do with it, i'm going to start www.iLiveForSundays.com.

currently, all i can think of is a gathering place for anyone involved in ministry to kids & families - a gathering place of great stories. not a huge place for resources, but rather current, uplifting God stories from staff and volunteers from all over.

(and for the naysayers: yeah, i know, we live for God, not Sundays...please go bug someone else. I'm just saying we get so geared up and prayed up and prepared and pumped for each Sunday, as we await the opp0rtunity to pour God's love into kids and families...especially those coming for the first time...so this blog speaks to that - to encourage those tired with reminders of why we do what we do.)

any suggestions?

Best Rehearsal

As I was driving my 6 yr old to school this morning, I heared him whispering something in the back seat. He seemed to be rehearsing something so I questioned him about it. "Um, I'm just practicing what I'm going to say to my class...you know, that Space Thing...and inviting a bunch of kids to church."

That'll get your blood going - hearing your 6 yr old intensely rehearse (on his own) a personal invite, asking his friends to come to church with him.

To find out why he was so motivated, be sure to be at OLC this Sunday morning. An interesting Kidventure announcement will be made.

Joys of beginning...

...difficulties of continuing.

Took a great road trip yesterday to North Alabama. On the way back, I was RRP'n it (Random Radio Preacher). Sometimes I do it just for a good laugh...you get some crazy stuff on low AM stations in the middle of nowhere. Sometimes I'll force myself to listen even though I disagree (completely) with what the dude is saying. And then other times, you find something good and encouraging.

I caught about 5 minutes of a guy talking about the joys of beginning and the difficulties of continuing. I believe he was talking about one of Paul's letters...encouraging the church to stay strong. He brought up a real simple truth: All kinds of areas of life have this formula.

- We have the joy of a newborn...and then reality hits (diapers & teenage years) and it can be a struggle.
- We have the excitement of a new job...and then we learn all the office gossip and true picture of what's happening.
- We celebrate buying a new home...and then a few short years later are hit with the first big repair.
- And in our faith, we have these new movements of God...a new thing happening (perhaps churchplanting)...and yet so many hit a wall...maybe a trial comes along...and we yearn for the freshness and excitement all over again.

If your looking for a grand finale, sorry. :-) The radio cut out about that time. I imagine, though, that he talked about perseverance. Continuing is a must. The God who started the work will be faithful in completing it. And within the difficulty of continuing, and remaining holy and pure and steadfast, our trust in Him is renewed and an even greater joy is found.

The MAIN LESSON though: I'm praying someone will give me an ipod so I can download some good sermons. :-)

Highlights

Yesterday was great. I love the diversity of my days now. Quite different from sitting at a desk all day long. Some quick hits:

* Extended staff meeting. Very energizing. Talking about reaching people is downright fun.
* Talked to a great friend about ministering to college students.
* Saw the movie Iron Man.
* Sat through a 30 minute presentation about youth & sports...had to do it so my kids could play t-ball. I expected it to be a complete bore, but it wasn't too bad. Did you know that 25 million kids participate in sports...but by the time they reach 13, there is a 70% drop out rate?
* And one of the best parts of the day: I got a call from one of our 5th grade students and her mom - wondering if she could go to the youth deal on Sunday morning since she was going to be bringing her friend who is in the 8th grade. Hmmm...let's see...should I have been a stickler and said, "No! Promotion Sunday is not for another 2 weeks! You must stay in your area!"? Uh, no. I said, "Absolutely! If you are bringing a friend to church for the first time, you can ABSOLUTELY go with her to her specific area! And by the way, GREAT JOB on inviting your friend to church with you! Keep it up! See you on Sunday!"

Good stuff.

She's All That..

Very Proud

Have a Great Monday

Great Question

Jimmy gave a great challenge to the graduates on Friday (at Dana's graduation). We served under Jimmy when living in KY. Side note: He's from the same church/hometown as Michael, our pastor.

He told a story of when he was getting his seminary degree...how a professor, who had a brilliant mind and had written several books and had received accolades and was experiencing success in his work, had gone home to visit his grandmother. During the visit, this professor was telling his grandmother of all the recent things he had been involved with and she pulled him to the side and said, "That's wonderful honey...but do you love Jesus more?"

Jimmy then challenged the students to not let their education go to waste. He reminded them of 1 Corinthians 13. Are we loving Jesus more, because of our work? Are we loving the church more? The lost? People? Is our love for Christ ever growing?

The grandmother got it. That's great wisdom...and a very important question to be answered.

Congratulations Kentucky!

Thank you KY. Thank you for increasing your speed limit to 70...like normal states. When I lived in your state from 2000 - 2005, it was at 65 - and dude, that was frustrating. So coming back to your Bluegrass state over the past few days, I was delighted to see the increase. Congratulations!

proof

Divine Dress

I was at a local department store the other day, buying a white dress shirt. Yep, didn't really have one...I think I threw the the only one I had out the other week when I did some late spring cleaning. Two other quick points about this: 1. Funny how I haven't needed one for quite some time - THANK goodness for churchplanting. 2. I was needing one for Dana's graduation tomorrow, now only 11 hours away! So I'm blogging from the 24th floor of The Galt House, overlooking the Ohio River.

Ok, back to the story. I was buying a cheap, white dress shirt to wear with my suit for Dana's graduation. I found one I liked and then went hunting for the right size. As I was digging, I noticed a slight variation from one shirt to the next. (Most people would have grabbed the first one that was the correct size, but I'm a stinkin' perfectionist and detailed and picky....sorry.) To keep it short, I eventually had three shirts lined up on the table. Here's the deal: They were all the exact same shirt - same size, same name brand, same style, all pinpoint collar, etc, etc. But I couldn't help but notice that the color seemed slightly off on one...and one had more stuffing in it (whatever that white flimsy paper is called that is used during Christmas)...and one had lint all over it (I ruled that one out fast).

So as I'm observing this phenomenon (bored yet?)...and reading the tags to be sure I've grabbed the same shirt...I noticed where the shirts were made. Here's what I saw:

Shirt #1: Made in Honduras with US fabric
Shirt #2: Made in Thailand
Shirt #3: Made in Vietnam

Well, isn't that interesting? I don't think I had ever seen that. EXACT same shirt, but here were 3 of them - in the same bin at the store - all from 3 different places, one stacked upon the other. I grabbed the one I thought "looked best"...yeah, I know, how much difference could there have really been?

Leaving the store, I had a thought. Huh, we are kind of like that, aren't we? We all have the same marking. We have all been "branded" by the same Maker. We "wear" the same symbol and carry the same name: Christian, Follower of the Way, Believer. Yet, though we carry out the same purposes, we have distinct differences. Also, we are all from different places. This also makes us unique. So, same Maker, same Branding, same Marking, made for a same divine purpose...yet uniquely different and uniquely called.

Question(s) of the Week

Is my life unfulfilled since I have no iPhone?
Are they worth the hassle?
What was your first cell phone?
Who is the best wireless company? (There's no debate on this one...hopefully you pick the right one. ha)

Stories

One immediate result of me getting to hang in Cartersville now, being on church staff, is getting to hear more stories....stories from our volunteers, stories from strangers, stories from kids and parents and leaders and new Christians and long time followers. Everyone has a story. And over the past 48 hours I've been blessed by hearing a few. I always walk away from it with a renewed awe and thankfulness for God. The stuff He pulls us through...and forgives...and how He raises up what is considered lowly or poor - and for His glory, renews it and then uses us to change the world, one relationship at a time.

So, share your story. (Even if you think you have a "boring" story of being saved an early age...no such thing as a "weak" testimony.) And listen to other's stories. Be encouraged and appreciate the greatness of our God, who is ever pursuing.

Sunday Night Extravaganza

* I'm learning how to use my first Mac. 2 months from now, I'll love it (especially the media stuff). Right now, though, I feel like a first grader sitting at a computer. No, seriously.

* Big week this week: My first week at the church office. (I've heard staff meetings are like a circus....just kidding, I've heard their like a zoo. ha.) At the end of the week, Dana is graduating from college! She started working on her degree a decade ago. Four kids later, she's walking with diploma in hand. I'm VERY PROUD of her! Her degree is Christian Counseling and she will begin working on her Masters in the Fall. She's going to be a great, great counselor (already is).

* I want Oak Leaf to become known as "That Kids Church".

* I want kids to follow Christ and then serve other kids in the community.

* Will tell you later this week about a new site I'm starting in June. Bought the domain name already, I think it's going to be a cool deal.

* Did anyone really think the Hawks would beat the Celtics? (Answer: no)

* I met another Auburn fan at Oak Leaf this morning. I feel better about my decision to work there. :-)

* OUCH

9/20

I attended "Donuts for Dads" at my 6 yr old's school this morning. What I saw there reminded me so much of the healthy tension that exists in many churches, including ours. Especially in church planting, we talk about being outward focused, placing our energy on reaching whoever is not present. Yet, we are to be disciplining and equipping believers, being sure their faith is maturing. I somewhat experienced that this morning. Here I was sitting with my 6 yr old son, enjoying a nice fat free donut...wait, that's way off...a nice, dripping wet, TASTY donut (much better) and enjoying my time with him. And while doing my best to give my attention to him, my heart was still being drawn to the scene around me.

There were 20 kids in the room, only 9 dads. Now, I realize that many dads had to be at work. I realize many had obligations that simply made them unavailable. In fact, 9 out of 20 is probably not a bad number. However, when the teacher said a little schpill about fathers and then handed out some stuff and then asked the kids to go hug their dad....my heart just sunk. It's just how I'm wired. As I'm hugging Braden and giving him my attention, there was that healthy tension of observing the other 11 kids that looked around...feeling out of place. While some of their stories are simply, "My dad is at work," I'm sure many have a much more painful story. And I desperately wanted to know their story. I desperately wanted to make sure they got a hug too. I wanted to break out in a Sunday morning lesson, OLC style. I wanted to grab the different supplies in the room and create illustrations, telling of the Heavenly Father that loves them immensely (I probably wouldn't use that word with them though, ha) and has a great plan for their life and how in troubles, they can always turn to Him.

How was this tension resolved this morning...and how is it resolved in the church? Well, great question. For me, at least this morning, I did the best thing I could do on the spot: I helped the teacher by serving the kids. I didn't ignore my son, but I got up to help pass out donuts and juice and napkins. (She was going solo, without her teacher aid.) I then was able to give the kids, if nothing else, a smile-a laugh-an encouraging word-and listened to their random talk.

Overwhelmed

No, the good kind. I'm back from this conference...but I'm not on a conference high. I'm overwhelmed for other reasons. I'm simple just amazed/dumbfounded/shocked/amazed (I already said that one, didn't I?) /perplexed/humbled/motivated by God's Providence and Grace and Mercy (new every morning). God has done some amazing things in my life recently and I'm simply amazed at how He never lets go of us, He never gives up on us...we can run to the mountains, we can run to the depths of the sea...but we can't escape His Will, His calling on our life. He forgives. He renews. He loves, and then loves some more. He is Faithful when we are not. I'm simply overwhelmed tonight at His loving plan and how He blesses His people, his chosen people, with so many good things when we deserve the exact opposite.

My response to this kind of love and pursuit of our Loving God?
Glory to Him! Glory to Him! Glory to Him!
Have all of me, have all of me, have all of me.